It’s Elementary: STAR Academy, PS 63…

     PS 63, STAR Academy, pre-K to 5th grade, lives in a historic red brick building in the East Village of Manhattan.  Some call the school a “hidden gem.”  As one teacher shared “There is a genuine feeling of love at STAR Academy.”  If love is the cultural umbrella, what core values shelter beneath it?

     The acronym of its name is the starting point:  Students Taking Active Roles in their own learning and in their own lives.  It is not a slogan, but a promise, a commitment, and a goal that is at the heart of the school and informs the decisions its leaders make.  STAR Academy is child-focused with an emphasis on hands-on learning, independent, inquiry-based thinking, and accountability.  It is also a community where teachers, students, and parents collaborate together and with local partners who expand opportunities for academic, social, and emotional growth.  Rooted in relationships, character development, and equity, STAR Academy community members want their students to have more than a window on the world.  They want to instill pride and confidence that empower their students to actively and boldly embrace the world’s possibilities.

       The students - about 200 strong - represent different races and different cultures: 65% are Hispanic; 19%, Black; 10%, White; 2%, Asian; 4%, Multi-racial.  Approximately 75% receive free or reduced lunch; about 32% have a disability; and boys outnumber girls, 55% to 45%. There is a 10:1 student/teacher ratio, and almost all classes are co-taught.

     Three primary sources evaluated student academic performances in Math and ELA: 

     GreatSchools.org (a national, non-profit, school ratings company) credits STAR Academy with helping students to accomplish “above average” progress, despite starting with below average test scores. NYC Department of Education’s Quality Review (2018-2019) reported significant gains on the ELA exam among students with disabilities (+10%) and economically disadvantaged students (+14%), and an increase (+15%) on the Math exam for students overall.  The Review cited a “culture of mutual trust and positive attitudes that supports the academic and personal growth of students and adults ”as key to student success.  InsideSchools.org (an independent assessor of NYC schools) showed similar results, noting:  “STAR Academy-PS 63 is a shining example …where tireless teachers and administrators have found a meaningful new way to connect with a high needs population of kids and families without sacrificing academic rigor. The result? Test scores are rising, kids are being nurtured, and classes feel alive.” 

PS 63, STAR Academy, NYC District 1, is a small public school where children come first, and educators take a holistic, community approach to teaching and learning.  It is the intentional and consistent commitment to their values, plus a flexibility to evolve and be both responsive and relevant to children’s lives that create a culture in which students are happy and thrive.  Parents need to discover this little gem.  STAR Academy is, indeed, a school that works.     

     Do not take my word for it.  See for yourself.  Explore the pages of The STAR Academy website: https://www.staracademyps63.com Look at all the components that define this school.  Read what teachers say about the school and their students.  They present an honest, transparent account of their goals and their struggles to engage students by listening to them and understanding their perspectives.  Check out the activities and contributions of PTA members.  Review the breadth of community partnerships the school has developed, and imagine the benefits for students.

     From your own point of view, when you decide why STAR Academy is successful, write it down.  Try to capture the school’s purpose, culture, its ethos.  What do you have in common with this school?  How is your situation different?  Are there ideas you would use in your practice?  In your school?  In your community?  What impresses you most?  What would you do to make your school work better?     

Now enjoy the video on STAR Academy’s home page. If you watched it earlier, please have a second look.  Listen to how the Principal and Assistant Principal describe their school.  What do they prioritize and why?  Most especially listen to and watch the children.  These very young people look directly at you through the camera and connect with you.  Enthusiastic, articulate, self-assured:  They will amaze you.  But it is the light in their eyes that will leave you breathless and stay with you.                                                                         

STAR Academy, PS 63, is the first in a series.  Schools That Work may have different areas of focus, but they all have intentional cultures and similar values.  In the end, Schools That Work help students to find their own identity as members of their community and to imagine possibilities for themselves as future global citizens.  Knowing who you are, where you belong, how to respect and relate to others, and why it all matters is the process of discovery that we are undertaking in this series.

Please contact me with your comments and questions.  Thank you. Merle Schell

Unpacking Education, Newsletter No. 10, Question of the Day. Answer:

This sociologist and educator believed that students need to learn not only academics, but how to be physically and emotionally secure with help from a collaboration of mutually supportive teachers, parents, and the community. Author of the seminal book Full-Service Schools (1994), she co-founded the Coalition of Full-Service Community Schools, and is credited with conceiving this educational model. The correct answer is b) Joy Dryfoos who once said, “The bottom line is schools cannot do it alone.”